Solar Storm Glasgow 2022; what is a solar storm, when will it reach Earth and what should I expect?

Stargazers across Glasgow will be on high alert as Solar Storms are expected to hit Earth on Wednesday 3 August according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The storm comes from high-speed solar winds from a ‘hole’ in the sun’s atmosphere. The winds are expected to hit Earth’s magnetic field and trigger the storm.

According to SpaceWeather.com the storm has been classified as a Minor G1-class, which is the lowest threat category for geomagnetic storms.

The website also said that the predication came from forecasted after they observed a "gaseous material is flowing from a southern hole in the sun’s atmosphere.”

So, will you be able to catch the show in the night skies across Glasgow?

Here’s everything you need to know about the solar storm.

Will it be visible from Glasgow?

A solar storm will usually stir up activity in the night sky above us, meaning that we may catch a glimpse of the Northern lights.

The Met Office states that aurora sightings are possible in Scotland and Northern Ireland and there’s a small chance of catching them in more southern areas of the UK.

It’s unlikely that we will be able to see this in Glasgow City, so those hoping to catch a glimpse should try to avoid light polluted areas.

Currently, the Met Office states that places in the Northern Hemisphere can expect Aurora activity to remain largely at background levels.

What has the Met Office said?

According to the Met Office’s latest space forecast solar activity has been ‘low’ over the past 24 hours.

They said: “There are currently two sunspot regions visible, with the main region of interest on the southwest disc with moderate magnetic complexity, although this has shown signs of decay.”

“The other region is a unipolar spot that has rotated onto the southeast disc. No Earth-directed CMEs (coronal mass ejections) were observed.”

For those hoping to plan ahead for their next chance to catch the Northern Lights there is a mobile app called AuroraNow that gives a simple percentage of Northern Light’s likelihood to be visible in your area.

What is a solar storm?

A solar storm happens when the sun releases huge amounts of energy. This surge in energy will form solar flares and coronal mass ejections.

These holes enable solar material to surge out in a torrent that travels at speeds up to 1.8 million miles per hour (2.9 million kilometres per hour).

When a solar storm hits the earth’s atmosphere it can produce incredible displays in the sky, like the Northern lights.

Solar storms do not usually pose a threat to those of us on the ground but depending on their strength, they can impact satellites, power grids and GPS communications.

Are solar storms dangerous?

No. Solar storms do not pose a risk to those on earth as we are protected by the earth’s atmosphere.

However, if a solar storm is strong enough, it is possible for communications and electronics to be affected. If this happened there would be global disruption.